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Chelsea Wins Club World Cup

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EAST RUTHERFORD – (Wire Service Report) – Chelsea were clear underdogs before the FIFA Club World Cup final. Cole Palmer didn’t seem to mind, and the pressure of a global stage didn’t slow him down.

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Palmer rang up two goals and one assist in a sensational first half and Chelsea toppled Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 to win the Club World Cup on Sunday.

The 23-year-old winger scored in the 22nd and 30th minutes and Joao Pedro tacked on the third goal right before halftime, capitalizing on Palmer’s fine touch into the box. Robert Sanchez, meanwhile, saved six shots in his best showing of the tournament.

“Obviously, everyone doubted us before the game,” Palmer said. “We knew that, but to go out there and put a fight out like we did, obviously against a great team, yeah, it was good.”

Chelsea, who won the 2021 Club World Cup that featured only eight teams, battled past Portugal’s Benfica and Brazilian sides Palmeiras and Fluminense in the knockouts to face Paris Saint-Germain — six weeks removed from their first UEFA Champions League trophy.

The European champions had allowed just one goal in their first six matches of the Cup. But on Sunday, PSG’s Gianluigi Donnarumma saved just two of five shots on goal.

The frustrated Parisians went down to 10 men in the 85th minute when Joao Neves pulled Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella by the hair, was caught on video review and shown red.

Altercations spilled past the final whistle, and PSG coach Luis Enrique appeared to grab at Pedro’s neck while he and Donnarumma confronted Chelsea players.

“This was completely avoidable at the end,” Enrique said in translated remarks. “My goal was always to separate footballers, there was a lot of tension and pressure, there was a whole bunch of pushing that we should all try to avoid. My intention is to avoid it getting worse.”

The final capped the end of a month-long tournament with 32 teams representing six continents, a test run for the United States before it co-hosts next year’s World Cup with Canada and Mexico.

President Donald Trump attended the final as a guest of FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Trump presented Chelsea the trophy and, quite noticeably, over-stayed his welcome on stage after the trophy was presented and made the club’s celebration quite awkward.

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In his first year as manager, Enzo Maresca guided the Blues to a 2025-26 Champions League berth and won two trophies, the Club World Cup following their victory in the UEFA Conference League.

“I’m especially happy for the players, because just one year ago when I came to the club, I said since the first press conference … We said many times that talent is not enough,” Maresca said. “We need sacrifice, we need readiness, we need a game plan with all the players (facing) the same way. The success is because of them.”

Cucurella made a crucial stop to keep the game scoreless in the 16th minute. Fabian Ruiz made a great pass across the box to Desire Doue, who could have shot it but instead tried a centering pass to a teammate that Cucurella intercepted.

Ace Crochet

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet tossed a complete-game shutout and the Boston Red Sox extended their winning streak to nine games with a 1-0 victory over the visiting Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday.

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Crochet (10-4) held Tampa Bay to three hits, struck out nine and didn’t walk a batter.

It’s the first time Crochet has pitched a complete game in his MLB career. Prior to Saturday he hadn’t pitched more than 8 1/3 innings in a game.

Tampa Bay’s only hits were singles by Yandy Diaz, Curtis Mead and Taylor Walls.

Crochet, who signed a six-year, $170 million contract extension earlier this year, has recorded at least seven strikeouts in each of his last nine outings. He threw 100 pitches, 72 of which were strikes.

His complete game came at a welcome time since Boston starting pitcher Hunter Dobbins left Friday night’s game in the second inning because of an ACL tear.

Tampa Bay received a strong start from Shane Baz, who held Boston to a run on five hits in 6 1/3 innings. Baz (8-5) struck out three and walked two. It was his fourth straight quality start.

The Rays have lost five of their last six games.

Boston scored the game’s only run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Roman Anthony hit a one-out double and scored on a Carlos Narvaez single.

Tampa Bay had a chance to tie the game when it had runners on first and third with one out in the sixth, but Boston first baseman Abraham Toro threw out Walls at the plate when Ha-Seong Kim attempted a safety squeeze. The Rays challenged, but the call was upheld.

The Red Sox prevailed even though they were held to five hits and were 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position.

The teams will wrap up the four-game series Sunday in the final game before the All-Star break.

–Field Level Media

There’s Magic in the Air at Fenway

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By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – For the very first time in the 2025 Major League Baseball season, there was a big game atmosphere as 35,452 fans entered Fenway Park on Friday night. Nearly all of them stayed in their seats when the hometown Red Sox came to bat in the bottom of the 9th inning, trailing the Tampa Bay Rays, 4-3.

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Much of the buzz in the American League’s oldest ballpark stemmed from the Red Sox entering the game with a seven game winning streak. Since June 4th, Boston’s recorded the third-best record in the Majors.

Friday night, their lineup seemed whole as 3B Alex Bregman was reactivated after a 43-game absence caused by a severe right quad strain, dating back to May 24th. Since that time, there’s been massive changes to the Sox – the trade of their best hitter, Raphael Devers, and the promotion of three promising rookies – 2B Marcelo Mayer, OF Roman Anthony and INF Kristian Campbell, the latter relegated back to Triple A Worcester when RF Wilyer Abreu was reactivated from the 10-day injured list on June 20th.

Changes. Uncertainty. Errors. Poor base-running. A six game winning streak from June 10-to-16 followed by a six game losing streak from June 21-to-27. It all resulted in a rut called fourth place in the American League East with June 6th being the low point of being 10.5 games out of first place.

Tonight was different. There was magic in the air at Fenway and the Red Sox finished the night a half-game ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays, and in possession of third place in the AL East and keeping pace with the second place New York Yankees who spanked the Chicago Cubs, 11-0, just as the Sox came to bat in the home ninth.

One of the rookies, Mayer, led-off but grounded out. That left Sox Manager Alex Cora an easy decision to pinch hit his other top prospect, Anthony, for first baseman Abraham Toro. The slugger stayed patient at the plate, as Tampa Bay closer Pete Fairbanks brought his 99 mph heat. Four of Fairbanks’ pitches missed the strike zone and Anthony walked to first base.

One out, man on first, trailing 4-3 – and up came the Sox number nine hitter, Ceddanne Rafaela.

The defensive wiz centerfielder came into the game with a seven game hitting streak and he had extended it to eight with an RBI single in the second inning. His hot streak included a .444 batting average, eight runs scored, six doubles, 10 RBI and three home runs.

Fairbanks fired three four-seam fastballs to take a 1-2 count to his advantage. On the fourth pitch, an 86 mph slider, Rafaela took it long – some 406 feet to put an exclamation point on the advertisements atop the famed Green Monster. Sox win, 5-4.

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It was Rafaela’s second career game-winning home run, the last coming as the tides were running high on June 4 out in Anaheim, California when Boston won an 11-9 slugfest. Tonight was different.

Rafaela (2-for-4, one run, one HR and three RBI) has been scoring runs and driving runners in, as well., to the tune of the last seven games to make him only the third Boston Red Sox player at the age of 24 or younger to accomplish that feat. To put it in perspective, Ted Williams (8 game streak in 1942) was another, along with little known Duffy Lewis, back in 1912.

Records and milestones aside, Rafaela – like the rest of his Boston Red Sox teammates – are walking a walk, tossing bats aside and skipping past third base with a resolve to meet-up with an entire roster of confident players.

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It’s now led Boston to an eight game winning streak and the climb past Tampa to third place. The confidence prompted utility man Romy Gonzalez to print up some t-shirts for his teammates with an art deco, pink and Carolina blue script, reading “Tremendously Locked In.”

With Rafaela’s game winning home run in the books, it might be time to print some more t-shirts to be sure the locksmiths are all ready for the final two games of this important July series.

 

Eight Straight? Or Not?

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BOSTON – (Wire Service Report) – The Boston Red Sox are feeling good.

After sweeping back-to-back cellar dwellers in the Washington Nationals and Colorado Rockies, the Red Sox extended their winning streak to a season-best seven games by rallying past the visiting Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday. They will look for a second straight win as they continue the four-game AL East series tonight.

“That’s the type of team we are; we never lose hope, and we always battle,” Red Sox center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela said. “It was a battle (on Thursday) — and we won the battle.”

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Rafaela had two of just four Boston hits in the series opener, including the deciding two-run single during a three-run seventh inning.

The Red Sox had not named a starting pitcher for Friday’s game, but the assignment of reliever Isaiah Campbell to Worcester cleared a spot for Hunter Dobbins (4-1, 4.10 ERA), who is now expected to come off the injured list (right elbow strain) and make the start.

“We’re deeper than other years,” Boston manager Alex Cora said before Thursday’s game. “You feel like in that spot, if something happens, somebody will be here and do the job.”

Dobbins and fellow youngster Richard Fitts — who earned his first career win Monday before returning to Worcester — have both been strong when called upon.

Dobbins’ last start was on June 20, when he allowed four earned runs in a four-inning no-decision at the San Francisco Giants. Friday will mark his first career start against Tampa Bay.

Also due to return is third baseman Alex Bregman, who is expected to forgo a rehab assignment in the minors to play Friday or Saturday. He had a right quad strain.

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“He’ll play two of the games (prior to the All-Star break), let’s put it that way,” Cora said.

The Rays will look to turn things around following their fifth loss out of seven on their 10-game trip. It was their 16th loss in a one-run game this season and came despite a quality start from Taj Bradley.

Manager Kevin Cash entered the series with hope after the Rays acquired reliever Bryan Baker from the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday.

Baker is expected to offer major help in a bullpen that had a 7.20 ERA over the past two weeks. Unable to build on Junior Caminero and Ha-Seong Kim homers, Baker took the loss following Boston’s big inning.

“Something that we probably needed. He’s going to add to it,” Cash said. “He’s pitched really well for the Orioles this year, and he’s gotten outs against us. It’ll be nice to be able to hand him the ball and get some outs for us now.”

Cash will now give the ball to right-hander Drew Rasmussen (7-5, 2.82), who is set to tag-team with Joe Boyle for a third straight appearance. He is still seeing limited action following his third major elbow surgery.

Rasmussen last pitched two innings of one-run ball Sunday in a win over the Minnesota Twins. He threw 24 of his 32 pitches for strikes.

“I think it does two things,” Rasmussen said. “It lets us get the Joe Boyle experience, which is electric. And then also allows me to just stay on routine as well as limit some of the innings for this year.”

The 29-year-old is 1-0 with a 2.84 ERA in four career starts against the Red Sox, but Friday will mark his first since 2022.

–Field Level Media

PGA Tour: Gotterup Ties Course Record

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NORTH BERWICK (Scotland) – Chris Gotterup tied the course record with a 9-under-par 61 to take a two-shot lead at the midway point of the Genesis Scottish Open on Friday in Scotland.

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The round included a 6-under 29 on the front nine of The Renaissance Club to move Gotterup to 11-under 129 for the tournament.

England’s Harry Hall was alone in second place at 9 under following a 6-under 64 in the second round.

Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg (65) was in a group of three tied for third place at 8 under, along with England’s Matt Fitzpatrick (63) and Marco Penge (67).

Gotterup, 25, is looking for his second career PGA victory. He won at Myrtle Beach last year.

Gotterup carded nine birdies in the bogey-free round, six coming during his dynamic front nine.

“I definitely played good today,” Gotterup said. “Not a lot of wind in the morning which was obviously beneficial. But yeah, it’s funny, when it flips you get some holes that you like and some holes that you don’t like and vice versa.

“I think there’s definitely certain holes that feel nice. Nice three pars to finish. You just take what you can get, what the course gives you with the wind.”

Gotterup is trying to play his way into next week’s Open Championship at Royal Portrush. He currently has a flight to California scheduled for Monday.

Gotterup missed the cut in eight of his first 12 events this season but has rallied by making eight of the past nine cuts. He had four straight top-20 finishes in one stretch.

Hall, 27, had seven birdies and one bogey during his strong round. He followed that lone bogey with a stretch of four birdies in a row at Nos. 3-6.

“This wind position allows you to hold the green on a couple par-5s, and yeah, it made 5s drivable,” Hall said. “Definitely an easier wind.”

Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy improved three shots in the second round to a 65 and is in a group of seven tied for sixth place at 7 under overall. McIlroy was the biggest mover in the group, jumping 27 spots.

“I’m feeling pretty good,” McIlroy said. “I did a lot of good things today. Still a couple of loose shots here and there but overall I thought it was a good day and obviously excited for the weekend right in the thick of things, in contention going into the last two days, and you know that’s where — if there is anything you need to work on in your game, that’s where it’s going to show when you’re under that sort of pressure trying to win a golf tournament.”

First-round leaders Sepp Straka of Austria and American Jake Knapp also were at 7 under after each shot a 1-under 69. Another first-round leader, Victor Perez of France, was at 6 under following an even-par 70, while Nico Echavarria of Colombia plummeted from a tie at the top to a tie for 27th at 4 under following a 72.

U.S. Open champion J.J. Spaun failed to make the cut after a 72 that put him at 2 over par through two rounds. Scotland’s Calum Hill was just one shot off the lead after the opening round but failed to make the cut after shooting a 7-over 77 on Friday.

Collin Morikawa (4 over) also missed the cut.

–Field Level Media

Streaking Red Sox Face Tampa Test

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BOSTON – (Wire Service Report) – The Boston Red Sox will try to stretch their winning streak to seven games Thursday night when they open a four-game series against the visiting Tampa Bay Rays.

Boston completed a three-game sweep of the Colorado Rockies with a 10-2 victory Wednesday. Masataka Yoshida collected three hits in the win after being activated from the 60-day injury list.

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“Glad to have Masa back,” Boston manager Alex Cora said of Yoshida, who had been out with a shoulder injury. “That’s a big bat for us. You saw the difference today, how long the lineup was. We have to figure it out, who’s going to play and all that stuff, but I think it’s the deepest lineup we’ve had in a while here.”

Boston collected 15 hits in the victory, including four home runs. The Red Sox have had at least 11 hits in each of their last seven games. Wednesday’s home runs came from Carlos Narvaez, Wilyer Abreu, Romy Gonzalez and Jarren Duran.

Boston scored 29 runs in the three-game sweep of the Rockies. The Red Sox are 9-2 since a six-game losing streak that included three losses against the Los Angeles Angels.

“We’ve been playing well,” Cora said. “The tough one was Anaheim (the Angels). Besides that, I think we’ve played competitive baseball. We’re in a good spot.”

Right-hander Walker Buehler (6-6, 6.25 ERA) is Boston’s probable starting pitcher for Thursday’s series opener. He is 2-0 with a 3.75 ERA in two career starts against Tampa Bay.

Tampa Bay is coming off Wednesday’s 7-3 triumph over Detroit. It was only the Rays’ fourth win in their past 12 games and came after back-to-back losses against the Tigers.

“A sweep going into a really tough series in Boston would not have been fun,” said starting pitcher Zack Littell, who gave up three runs over 5 2/3 innings Wednesday before four relievers held Detroit scoreless the rest of the way. “The bullpen … it hasn’t gone our way here lately, so for them to come in there, do it against one of the best lineups in the league and make pitches when we needed to make them and get us a win going into Boston is huge.”

Yoshi Back in Sox Lineup

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BOSTON – (Wire Service Report) – Masataka Yoshida is expected to be in the lineup when the Boston Red Sox try to complete a three-game sweep of the visiting Colorado Rockies on Wednesday.

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Before Boston’s 10-2 triumph over Colorado on Tuesday, Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Yoshida will be reinstated from the 60-day injured list and in the lineup as the team’s designated hitter tonight.

Yoshida and Rob Refsnyder are expected to platoon in Boston’s designated hitter spot, with Yoshida starting against right-handed pitchers.

“Mostly DH, but it’s not like last year where he’s not going to play the outfield,” Cora said. “He’s healthy, he is throwing the ball well and we’ll use him for whatever we need that day.”

Yoshida, 31, has not played for Boston this season. He had offseason shoulder surgery and completed a five-game minor league rehab assignment Monday. He played the first two games with Triple-A Worcester and the next three games with Double-A Portland.

Yoshida’s return creates a logjam in an outfield that includes Jarren Duran, Ceddane Rafaela, Roman Anthony, Rob Refsnyder and Wilyer Abreu.

“I know (Cora) has a plan, and I trust him full tilt,” Duran said. “So whatever he needs me to do, I’m going to do. … He’s a good manager and he’s been doing it, and I trust him for whatever we need to do for the team.”

Boston will be looking to extend its winning streak to six games Wednesday. The Red Sox won Monday’s game against Colorado 9-3.

Colorado’s Kyle Freeland pitched five scoreless innings Tuesday before surrendering three runs in the sixth. The loss dropped his record to 1-10.

“I thought it was one of his better outings of the year,” Colorado manager Warren Schaeffer said. “All of his breaking stuff was working. He was putting the ball where he wanted to. He deserved to get through that sixth inning, I thought. There were two outs and he threw a good pitch to (Trevor Story), but he hit a jam shot out there.”

Boston right-hander Lucas Giolito (5-1, 3.66 ERA) is scheduled to start on the mound for Boston on Wednesday. Giolito is 0-1 with a 6.30 ERA in two career appearances against the Rockies, both starts. He has allowed 12 hits, including three home runs, in 10 innings against Colorado.

Giolito has pitched at least six innings in each of his last five starts. He’s 4-0 with a 0.83 ERA during that five-game stretch.

Boston also has a rested bullpen since Brayan Bello pitched a complete game Tuesday.

“He was on point,” Cora said. “Some swing and misses, was on top of hitters, got ahead, stayed ahead, buried them. He was really good.”

Righty Antonio Senzatela (3-12, 6.57 ERA) is listed as Colorado’s probable starter. It will be Senzatela’s first career appearance against the Red Sox.

Senzatela will be facing a Boston team that has scored 86 runs in its last 10 games. Tuesday’s victory was the 15th time the Red Sox have scored at least 10 runs in a game this season, the most of any team in the American League.

–Field Level Media

Red Hot Sox Beat Rox

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BOSTON – The Boston Red Sox are facing a light portion of their schedule and taking advantage of it.

Alex Cora’s club has scored 76 runs and hit 16 home runs in the past nine games and will try for a fifth win in a row when a three-game series against the visiting Colorado Rockies continues tonight.

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Boston’s recent offensive exploits include a three-hit game for rookie Roman Anthony, who kicked off the team’s three-homer night in the fifth inning. Ceddanne Rafaela and Romy Gonzalez both went deep in the eighth.

“It’s fun to win,” Anthony said.

And Anthony has been fun to watch, hitting .386 with six RBIs in his last 10 games. Six of his last nine have been multi-hit affairs.

“He’s a good player, a good hitter. That’s why he’s playing every day,” Cora said. “We’re going to push him out there, play the outfield … play the top of the lineup.”

The manager’s lineup soon will include reinforcements as the return of both Masataka Yoshida and All-Star Alex Bregman from the injured list is nearing.

Yoshida has been recovering from shoulder surgery all season and could be activated on Wednesday, while Bregman is potentially just days behind as he feels that he is “trending towards a return here really quickly.”

Boston righty Brayan Bello (4-3, 3.42 ERA) is coming off a unique relief appearance in the Wednesday restart of a suspended game against the Cincinnati Reds. Bello threw five innings of one-hit ball with three strikeouts en route to a 5-3 Red Sox win.

Excluding his last outing, which came after Richard Fitts threw the first three innings the previous night, Bello has thrown five consecutive quality starts but lost back-to-back.

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The 26-year-old will be making his first career start against Colorado.

The Rockies have now lost three of four. For the season, their 70 losses in their first 91 games are the second-most all-time.

Colorado gives the ball to left-hander Kyle Freeland (1-9, 5.49 ERA), who will be making his third start since returning from the 15-day injured list on June 27. He follows Austin Gomber, who allowed four earned runs in 4 2/3 innings Monday.

“Overall, I thought he pitched well and gave us a chance to win,” Colorado manager Warren Schaefer said. “He was one or two pitches away from getting out of that (big three-run second) inning. Obviously it didn’t work out tonight, but it could have.”

Freeland last pitched on Thursday against the Houston Astros, allowing three runs — including two in the first inning — on six hits in six innings. It was his eighth quality start of the season, despite a meager win-loss record to show for it.

“When you start a game with weak hits, frustration starts to build immediately,” Freeland said. “He struck out two and walked two. “It’s all about how quickly you can wash it, forget about it, and get back to work. I was able to do that, as best I could.”

Freeland has made just one career appearance against Boston, throwing six innings in a May 14, 2019 start. He gave up three solo home runs and received a no-decision.

Ryan McMahon and Tyler Freeman both went 2-for-4 on Monday. Freeman has a 21-game on-base streak, the longest in the majors at present.

 

Sports TV Biz: ESPN Extends Orlovsky

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BRISTOL – (Wire Service Report) – Dan Orlovsky, who has served as an NFL analyst with ESPN since 2018, has agreed to terms on a long-term contract, Front Office Sports reported.

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Per the report, the former NFL quarterback will remain as a game analyst for the second-string team on “Monday Night Football” with Chris Fowler, Louis Riddick and Laura Rutledge. Orlovsky, 41, will also continue to appear on “NFL Live,” “SportsCenter,” “Get Up” and “First Take.”

Orlovsky’s new contract is not final but he is apparently “at the 1-yard line” with the network, per the report.

Before the holiday weekend, the former Detroit Lions QB posted a picture on social media toasting himself and on his Instagram story, he wrote, “Here’s to what’s next.”

He wrote on his X account on Monday: “Gotta keep working. Gotta keep proving yourself. Gotta stay hungry. It’s always the journey.”

Orlovsky, whose NFL career began in 2005 and lasted until 2017, is a popular figure at ESPN who has apparently shown interest in becoming a coach in the NFL.

“Dan’s been talking to some teams and seeing if there’s something that interests him and is worthwhile for him,” ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter told Pat McAfee in an interview.

In February, Front Office Sports reported that Orlovsky was “exploring his options” regarding potential free agency. Last month, it was reported by The Athletic that Orlovsky would likely return to ESPN.

ESPN declined to comment on Monday’s report.

–Field Level Media

PGA Tour: Campbell Wins John Deere

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SILVIS – (Wire Service Report) – It was quite a golf anniversary for Brian Campbell. Ten years to the week since he made his PGA Tour debut, he won the John Deere Classic.

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Campbell’s par on the first playoff hole gave him his second career victory on the tour, winning Sunday at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Ill.

“It all started here as an amateur, my first invite here,” Campbell said. “I’ve loved it ever since.”

He loves it even more now.

Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo scrambled on the extra hole, the par-4 18th, and Campbell’s steady approach was enough.

Campbell, who also won the Mexico Open at Vidanta World in a February playoff, and Grillo, bidding for his third PGA Tour triumph, both posted 4-under-par 67s to finish regulation at 18-under 266. Campbell is the sixth multiple winner on the tour this year.

“To be let alone in a playoff and to finish it off this way, it’s just been amazing,” Campbell said.

Campbell’s double bogey on No. 15 nearly cost him, but he rolled in a birdie two holes later.

As he waited to see if there would be a playoff, Campbell opted for rest instead of going through another warm-up. He figured he had hit enough shots during the tournament.

“It’s grueling out here. We’re sweating. It’s just hot,” he said. “I think we really needed to take a break, get some water, rather than go out and beat balls and putt for who knows how many minutes.”

Grillo’s tee shot on the playoff hole went into the right rough and he never fully recovered from that.

“I think I hit every fairway today, except for that first in the playoff,” he said.

David Lipsky, who was in the final pairing, hit his tee shot into the rough on No. 18 and missed a par-saving putt from 15 feet away, dropping out of a would-be spot in the playoff with his 68. He tied for third place with Kevin Roy (65).

“I’m just really happy how I had a really good mindset, kept plugging away and grinded it out,” Lipsky said.

Lipsky’s bogey on No. 15 put his title chances in jeopardy, but an eagle 3 on No. 17 — coming on a putt of less than 8 feet — pushed him into a share for the lead.

“I’m going to look at the positives and take that from this week,” he said.

Carson Young (64), Lucas Glover (64), Jacob Bridgeman (64), Matt Kuchar (66), Kurt Kitayama (67) and Max Homa (69) all ended at 16 under in a tie for fifth place.

Again, the leaderboard was full of contenders.

“The first scoreboard I saw everybody was going bananas, and you kind of knew that would happen,” Glover said. “No wind, soft conditions, the rain (Saturday) softened everything up.”

Seventeen golfers, including amateur Jackson Koivun, ended up within three shots of the lead. Koivun (67), a 20-year-old, was among seven golfers at 15 under.

Homa was 3 under for the day through four holes and held the lead at 16 under before an uneven finish.

Beau Hossler and Michael Thorbjornsen set the early pace with torrid 63s for the day’s best rounds.

Third-round leader Davis Thompson shot 72 and tied for 18th place at 14 under. His fourth bogey of the day came on the final hole.

First-round and 36-hole leader Doug Ghim dropped to a tie for 31st place at 11 under after his Sunday score of 69.

South Africa’s Aldrich Potgieter, who won the Rocket Mortgage Classic in a playoff a week earlier for his first tour victory, withdrew prior to the final round.

–Field Level Media